113 HR 1280 IH: Voter Fraud Prevention ActU.S. House of Representatives2013-03-20text/xmlENPursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.I113th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 1280IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMarch 20, 2013Mr. Olson introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on House
AdministrationA BILLTo amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to
increase the penalties imposed for intimidating, threatening, or coercing any
person from engaging in voter registration activities or for procuring,
submitting, or casting false voter registration applications or ballots, to
require election officials to transmit voter registration cards and absentee
ballots to voters in elections for Federal office through the use of the
automated tagging and tracing services provided by the United States Postal
Service, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the
Voter Fraud Prevention Act.2.Increase in
penalties for criminal activities involving voter registration and
voting(a)Increase in
length of term of imprisonmentSection 12 of the National Voter
Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–10) is amended in the matter
following paragraph (2) by striking 5 years and inserting
10 years.(b)Prohibition from
voting in subsequent electionsSection 12 of such Act (42 U.S.C.
1973gg–10) is amended in the matter following paragraph (2) by striking the
period at the end and inserting the following: and, in the case of an
individual, shall not be permitted to cast a ballot in any subsequent election
for Federal office..(c)Effective
dateThe amendments made by
this section shall apply with respect to violations occurring on or after the
date of the enactment of this Act.3.Requiring use of
automated tagging and tracing services for voter registration cards and
absentee ballots(a)Voter
registration cards(1)In
generalSection 8(a) of the National Voter Registration Act of
1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–6(a)) is amended—(A)by striking
and at the end of paragraph (5);(B)by striking the
period at the end of paragraph (6) and inserting ; and;
and(C)by adding at the
end the following new paragraph:(7)in transmitting voter registration cards to
individuals who are registered to vote—(A)ensure that any tray or sack containing
such cards is tagged with Tag 191 or some other similar tagging device used by
the United States Postal Service to provide greater visibility to containers of
such cards, and(B)use IMb Tracing or other similar tracking
methods made available by the United States Postal Service to provide real-time
tracking information for such
cards..(2)Effective
dateThe amendments made by
paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to elections for Federal office held on
or after January 1, 2014.(b)Absentee
ballots(1)In
generalTitle III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C.
15481 et seq.) is amended—(A)by redesignating
sections 304 and 305 as sections 305 and 306; and(B)by inserting after
section 303 the following new section:304.Use of
automated tagging and tracing services for absentee ballots(a)Requiring use of
automated tagging and tracingIn transmitting blank absentee ballots to
individuals who are eligible to vote by absentee ballot in an election for
Federal office, the appropriate State election official shall—(1)ensure that any
tray or sack containing such ballots is tagged with Tag 191 or some other
similar tagging device used by the United States Postal Service to provide
greater visibility to containers of such ballots; and(2)use IMb Tracing or
other similar tracking methods made available by the United States Postal
Service to provide real-time tracking information for such ballots.(b)Effective
dateSubsection (a) shall apply with respect to elections for
Federal office held on or after January 1,
2014..(2)Conforming
amendment relating to enforcementSection 401 of such Act (42
U.S.C. 15511) is amended by striking sections 301, 302, and 303
and inserting subtitle A of title III.(3)Clerical
amendmentThe table of contents of such Act is amended—(A)by redesignating
the items relating to sections 304 and 305 as relating to sections 305 and 306;
and(B)by inserting after
the item relating to section 303 the following new item:Sec. 304. Use of automated tagging and
tracing services for absentee
ballots..(c)Report on
efforts To deter and prevent loss and theft of voter registration cards and
absentee ballotsNot later
than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Postmaster
General shall submit a report to Congress detailing the efforts that the
Postmaster General has undertaken to deter and prevent the loss and theft of
voter registration cards and blank absentee ballots which are transmitted to
voters in elections for Federal office.